


Lure

by Alshoruzen



Series: Lure [1]
Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-14
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-08-30 22:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8551009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alshoruzen/pseuds/Alshoruzen
Summary: Having noticed KID's interest in one Kudo Shinichi, a frustrated Nakamori believes he's found the perfect way to lure the thief into a trap. Shinichi wishes someone had asked him for his opinion, but maybe this will help him sort out his own feelings. As for KID, well, he'd like to thank his task force for being so thoughtful and saving him a lot of work. It's the unconventional beginning to an unconventional relationship. KaitoxShinichi





	1. Enlightenment

**Author's Note:**

> If you've seen this story on FF.Net, you may have noticed that the chapter count is different. That's because I'll be splitting the story up into a series of shorter installments on this site so the ratings can vary and I can give an accurate chapter number. If you'd rather see the whole thing in one, please go to my FF.Net page.

To tell the truth, Nakamori hadn't been the first to notice—not, he would like to point out, that this was from any oversight on his part. It was just that this was KID they were talking about. KID was always doing weird things. So what if he'd been giving the Kudo boy roses? It made the kid blush and stammer, thus providing the thief with an easy escape. It was just the kind of thing KID would do. The thief was nothing if not good at using people's own personalities to his advantage: manipulating them into doing what he wanted and keeping them off balance so he could watch them squirm for his entertainment.

Then there had been the costumes. But of course those weren't new either. KID was always sticking his task force into costumes, the more humiliating the better. Nakamori himself would never forget those wretched monkey suits. But when it came to Kudo Shinichi's costumes, the old inspector had started to notice a certain trend. They tended to be… He didn't know what word to finish that sentence with until the Hakuba brat suggested 'provocative'. Nakamori kind of wished he hadn't, but he could see exactly what the blond meant. For whatever reason, the costumes KID prepared for Kudo often involved furry animal ears and tails, figure-hugging garments, short skirts, or otherwise revealing pieces of clothing—sometimes all at once. There had even once been a leathery ensemble that had lead Nakamori to ordering his officers to find the boy spare clothes because they couldn't possibly let him go home looking like that. Something bad could happen to him. And KID had to be putting a lot of thought into just how to make those outfits fit Kudo because the boy never looked ridiculous or plain disturbing like that time at the ballet hall heist when the thief had left half the task force in Swan Lake tutus (Nakamori had banned all his officers from ever mentioning that terrible fiasco ever again on pain of demotion). No one wanted to know how the thief had gotten Kudo's measurements (least of all Shinichi himself).

Then had come the heist at the Yukimitsu Estate. Those endless stretches of lush, green vegetation and beautiful flowerbeds crowned by the masterpiece of a mansion had been being run by the owners as both a luxury vacation resort complete with art gallery, pool, and games room and a wedding facility. That was the day the light bulb went on for everyone in the KID Task Force—and possibly for many members of the general public as well. The photograph of a shocked and blushing Kudo Shinichi in a full blown wedding dress with his hands clasped firmly in KID's own gloved ones as the grinning thief leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek had made it onto the front page of multiple papers. It then proceeded to circulate the internet like wildfire. Some people thought it was a joke. Some people said it was romantic. Some people were outraged (a.k.a. Suzuki Sonoko. Shinichi was still ducking for cover every time he saw her). Others couldn't stop laughing (to Shinichi's annoyance, Hattori Heiji was one of these, the unhelpful jerk).

The white wedding dress had gone perfectly with KID's white suit.

And suddenly all the pieces came together and Nakamori Ginzo could only gape and wonder why he hadn't realized it sooner.

He started noticing all the other little signs. There was the way KID always seemed more energetic (god forbid) when Kudo was at a heist. He tended to seek the boy out too—picked him out when he spoke and occasionally asked about him if he wasn't there. Also, even for heists that Kudo didn't attend, he was still somehow always involved these days in KID's jewel returns. More often than not, the jewel would be slipped into Kudo's clothes or book bag when the boy wasn't looking. At other times it turned up at his preferred seat in one or another of his university classes or was delivered to him. One particularly memorable return had been a few weeks ago. That time the jewel had arrived at Kudo's home stashed in a bouquet of red roses. A few weeks before that, it had been hidden in a box of coffee beans with a single red rose attached. There were also rumors that KID had visited the detective while he'd been in the hospital for getting himself stabbed by a serial killer (the brat got into way too much trouble even for a member of law enforcement).

With all this in mind, Nakamori had pulled out his records and looked them over. As he'd suspected, the number of heists had increased exponentially over the last year since Kudo's return from wherever it was he'd run off to for three years.

So it seemed that arrogant thief had a romantic interest in Japan's most famous young detective.

That was… Actually, Nakamori wasn't sure what that was other than weird. But that went without saying. After all, KID was insane. This was just one more piece of evidence of his insanity. After all, only a crazy person would use his heists to court a detective.

Nakamori couldn't suppress a certain amount of morbid curiosity as to how well that was working out for the thief. Kudo was obviously embarrassed by the attention, but he didn't seem to understand what it all meant.

But Nakamori didn't really want to think about Kaitou KID's love life. In fact, he very much did NOT want to think about it. Ever. The important thing was that, for the first time in more than two decades of chasing after Kaitou KID, he had discovered something about the thief that might actually give him the upper hand.

-0-

"I knew you'd be hiding here."

Shinichi nearly jumped out of his skin. Jerking around in his seat, he looked up to find Ran standing beside his table with her hands on her hips. His eyes went immediately to scan the café behind her. It wasn't until he'd checked everywhere and assured himself that there was no sign of Sonoko that he relaxed. The short-haired girl had been a prominent feature of his nightmares recently. She seemed to be torn between the desire to strangle him and wanting to use him to bait a trap for her KID-sama so she could convince the thief that she was so much more worthy of his affections than some detective geek.

"I'm not hiding," he said to Ran as she sat down in the seat across from him. A waiter came over and she ordered a cup of tea.

"Yes you are," came the matter-of-fact reply. "By the way, I ran into Hakuba-kun waiting outside your house when I stopped by there before coming here. I think he wants to talk to you."

Shinichi grimaced into his coffee mug. "I'm sure he does." Hakuba had been nagging him with questions ever since the wedding dress incident. Well, him and everyone else. He could count the number of people who didn't want to ask him about it on the fingers of one hand.

Shinichi wished they would all just stop fussing. It was just KID being KID as usual. It wasn't like it meant anything. Why did the thought send a pang through his chest?

Scratch that. He knew why. He wished he didn't though. It would make life so much easier.

Maybe he should stop going to KID heists. He'd thought about it several times—resolved to do so in fact half a dozen times already. But every time he swore not to go to another KID heist, he still somehow managed to find himself there with one excuse or another. If only KID would lay off on the teasing. Except, he supposed, that he didn't really want that either. Part of him liked the attention, embarrassing as it was. And that was the problem wasn't it? A heavy sigh escaped him and he gazed morosely into his mug. It was official. He'd lost his mind. He'd just admitted that he liked being the subject of the phantom thief's embarrassing pranks.

"You're moping again," Ran observed.

"I am not." Deny, deny, deny. That was the way to go because this was one truth he wanted to burry. Just because he'd apparently gone insane didn't mean he had to share the fact. Maybe if he denied it long and vehemently enough it would be true. "Can you give this to Nakamori-keibu for me?" he asked to change the subject, sliding an object wrapped in a white handkerchief across the table to Ran.

His friend raised an eyebrow and unwrapped the bundle. Inside the soft, white cloth was the emerald that had been the target of the Moonlight Magician's last heist. "Where was it this time?"

"My doorstep," Shinichi lied, fighting the urge to blush. The truth was he'd woken up to find the gem on his bedside table accompanied by yet another crimson rose. He was still debating whether to get the locks on his doors and windows upgraded. The idea of the thief wandering around in his house—his bedroom even—while he was asleep was a little creepy. Not, he suspected, that he could upgrade his locks enough to actually prevent the master thief from breaking in. It would just make Shinichi feel better.

Ran stirred some sugar into her tea and took a sip. "So how long are you planning on hiding out in this café?"

"I already told you, I'm not hiding." He held up the manila folder before him. "I'm working."

"In the darkest corner of an out-of-the-way café that you once told me served only passable coffee."

"…" Shinichi sighed. There was just no arguing with Ran sometimes. "Just until people forget about that stupid photo I guess."

"That might take a long time, especially considering how popular KID is."

"I know, but it's better than getting hounded by the media." He sank lower in his seat. "Stupid thief. If he wanted to pull a prank like that, he could at least have the courtesy to make sure the news crew wasn't standing right there. Is that too much to ask?"

"Haven't you considered that maybe that was the whole point?"

"What?" The detective blinked and stared across the table at the brunette. "What point? How can that have any kind of point?"

"Oh Shinichi, isn't it obvious? Why do you think he'd want the news crews to catch a picture of the two of you together like that?"

"Because he enjoys teasing people. It's how he entertains himself."

"Well, yeah. But if that was all he wanted, it wouldn't have mattered if someone took a picture or not. Unless you're saying it was an accident there were photographers there."

"No. He arranged it. I'm sure." In fact, KID had made sure that everyone at the heist had been present for the moment. "Why? What difference does that make?"

"You can be really slow sometimes, Shinichi."

The detective looked offended. "Fine then. Explain it to me, if I'm so slow. But I think I know KID better than you do."

"Probably," the girl agreed. "But I know people better than you do." Pausing, she took her time drinking more of her tea and enjoying the feeling of, for once, figuring something out before the famous detective she'd grown up with. She could just see him getting more and more antsy as he tried to figure out what she knew and then began to question his own lack of feasible conclusions. "He was making an announcement."

Coming out of his thoughts, Shinichi blinked. "Huh?"

"Kaitou KID. I believe he was making an announcement. All the evidence points to it. The publicity, the setting, the wedding theme, your matching clothes—the kiss! He obviously wants people to know that you're a couple."

Shinichi turned bright red. "We are NOT a couple!"

Ran waved her hands in a placating manner. "I know. No need to scream at me. I just meant to say that maybe he set that whole thing up as a way to tell the world that you are—or will be—a couple. Like a declaration of intent. And it worked too. I think more than half the population now thinks you two have been secretly dating." She almost laughed out loud at Shinichi's flabbergasted expression. "You haven't been watching the news, have you?"

Shinichi had to admit that he hadn't. Every time he turned on the TV, he found that stupid photo staring him in the face. He rarely hung around long enough to hear what anyone was saying about it. More importantly though, could Ran's deduction be correct…? But she couldn't be. Could she? Why was she smiling anyway? If she believed her own suggestion then she should be upset! After al, it would mean a criminal was after her best friend. Just because they'd decided they didn't want to date each other after all didn't mean she shouldn't be concerned about his wellbeing, right?

He bit back a groan. All he wanted to do right now was to go home and immerse himself in a nice mystery novel where things made sense and forget all about KID and the picture and the traitorous little fluttery feeling inside him that had been wondering what it would have been like if he hadn't turned his head away that time and the kiss had landed on his lips rather than his cheek.

Or maybe he should just ask Ran to knock him unconscious and hopefully give him amnesia while she was at it.

-0-

In another part of the city, a young man with short but wild hair sat observing the very photo that was the root of Shinichi's recent troubles as it was displayed on the small television screen situated in the corner of a frozen yogurt parlor. There was a reporter on the screen too, gesticulating as she speculated about the image, but he couldn't hear what she was saying from where he sat and didn't care to bother reading her lips.

Across the table from him, the daughter of one Nakamori Ginzo fumed. "Why can't they talk about anything other than that stupid thief anymore? It's the news! There's gotta be something else to say. I mean, there's a whole world out there!"

"Aren't you the least bit curious though?" her companion asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

Aoko huffed. "What is there to be curious about? I do feel bad for Kudo-san though. That must have been a terrible experience."

Gee, thanks. Out loud, however, he only laughed (because really, that was exactly the reaction he'd expected from her). If he wanted to know what the most cynical opinions of any of his alter ego's actions were, he could always rely on Aoko. It was one of the things that hadn't changed at all about her since they'd still been in high school.

"I thought you wanted to congratulate me for winning that award for my recent shows." He pulled on a mock hurt expression. "But here we are and all you've been doing is ranting about KID. And after we haven't seen each other for ages too."

Aoko blinked then gave a sheepish laugh. "Oh, oops. Congratulations. I did watch all your shows that were on TV. You were amazing!"

He beamed. Now that was more like it. "Of course. Did you ever doubt me?"

She snorted. "Who would dare? But really, Kaito, where do you even get the time to do all that? I mean, between university classes and performing professionally, I'm surprised you even have time to meet me."

"That's because I'm awesome," he declared with a grin. "Besides, I will always make time to meet you." Though he had to admit it helped that he'd never needed much sleep. After all, it wasn't just classes and shows he had to work on. He also had to plan astonishing and brilliant ways to steal millions worth in jewels, among other things. Now that he thought about it, he really was a very busy man wasn't he? He liked it that way though. Much better to be busy than bored. As far as he was concerned, there was only one thing missing in his life.

His gaze flickered back to the television screen.


	2. The First Attempt

"Kudo-san!"

Shinichi froze with his hand on the doorknob to his own front door and fought back the urge to groan. Reluctant to face the speaker but not wanting to be rude, he turned around slowly. "Hakuba-san. What brings you to Beika so late in the evening?"

The blond detective came to a stop in front of him. "I wanted to ask you a few more questions. I came by earlier but you weren't home."

"I see. So how can I help you?" asked Shinichi, though what he really wanted to say was "Didn't you ask enough questions last time?".

"At that heist, KID said that you two had been "seeing each other" for the last four years. What did he mean?"

"Er, well, I guess the first heist I ever attended was around that long ago," Shinichi said as his mind raced. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

The blond looked unimpressed. "I know. However, you did not attend another until about a year ago. And yet his choice of words suggests that you have been in contact between those two points in time." Brown eyes stared intently into Shinichi's. "I've been wondering, Kudo-san, where exactly were you in that time?"

Shinichi opened his mouth then closed it again. He couldn't exactly say he'd been shrunk and gone into hiding as a grade-schooler. He didn't want to give Hakuba the impression that he'd lost his mind, but he didn't want to explain the whole Conan thing either. It was still a rather sensitive topic for him. It was—personal. His time as Conan had taught him many things and shown him much both about himself and the world. All of that would stay with him even now that he was Shinichi again. But despite the fact that he'd accepted this, he still wasn't truly comfortable sharing about it.

He had to say something though or who knew what sorts of conclusions Hakuba would come up with. Judging from the way the blond was looking at him, he would probably start accusing Shinichi of being KID's assistant soon.

"I was working on an international case with the FBI," he said finally. It was true, after all. "I'm sorry but I can't tell you any more than that." Less true, but it would have to do.

Hakuba didn't look entirely satisfied with the answer, but he chose not to press the issue for the time being. Instead, he thanked Shinichi and took his leave.

The blue-eyed detective watched him go, not sure if he should be relieved or worried. Hakuba, he'd learned, tended to hang on to his ideas with a dogged determination that would make any terrier proud. He would have to watch his step around the blond from now on. Sighing, he headed inside to make himself more coffee.

And there, grinning up at him from the bottom of a white card on his dining table, was KID's signature caricature. It was a heist notice accompanied by one of the now familiar roses.

This time Shinichi really did smack himself on the forehead. It was a good thing Hakuba had declined his courtesy-induced invitation to come inside.

He remembered every encounter he'd ever had with the Kaitou KID. Looking back, it was funny to think that he hadn't even known KID's name—er, pseudonym—that first time at the clock tower. And yet the meeting had left an impression nonetheless. Back then, he'd found it interesting and a touch surprising that a thief would go to all that trouble just to protect an old clock tower from being taken away. Obviously the place had sentimental value to the thief. And it was nice, in some ways, to see that even criminals had things they cared about for reasons not involving wealth or personal gain.

Their second meeting had been where it had really all begun. There on the hotel roof with the wind whipping about them and the flashing police lights in the distance, that mysterious, all-knowing smirk stretched across the phantom thief's face and his unwavering confidence had left the moment and the thief's image deeply engrained in Shinichi's memories. He had been an enigma wrapped in riddles and smoke yet somehow vivid and larger than life. He had even been a little intimidating at times, though Shinichi had never been the kind to let such things get to him for long.

It hadn't taken long for Shinichi to realize that the thief was one of the most incredible people he'd ever met—a true genius in his own right and a worthy adversary that Shinichi could actually look forward to meeting because he could trust the thief not to kill anyone. Of course KID could be insufferably arrogant at times, but over time that had stopped bothering Shinichi. Now it was just another part of what made KID the person that he was right alongside his ingenuity and charisma. They had both competed against each other and worked together, and sometimes Shinichi found himself wondering if they could be considered friends. It would be…nice, but it was probably wistful thinking. Friendly rivals was probably the best way to describe their relationship.

Lately though, he wasn't so sure anymore.

The first time he'd realized something was wrong was when he'd still been Conan. It was at the end of the whole blimp fiasco when he'd caught KID groping Ran. He'd been livid, naturally, and if the thief had hung around any longer than that he would have definitely had soccer balls galore all flying for his face. The nerve!

The scene replayed over and over inside Shinichi's head for weeks afterward. The anger at the thief for doing such a disrespectful thing to his best friend was still there, but he'd noticed another feeling mixed in with it. It took him all those weeks to analyze it and realize what it was.

He'd actually been jealous of Ran—but not about the groping! He hadn't lost that much of his good senses. Or at least he dearly hoped he hadn't. It was just that first instant when he'd spotted the two of them standing together from a distance, all bathed in moonlight. They'd been so close and looking so…well, like a scene out of some sappy romantic novel (though he still didn't know why Ran had gone seeking the thief out. She never did tell him). It had looked like they were about to kiss.

He sighed again and picked up the rose. This one could go in the living room vase. The dining room one was too full.

Why couldn't his life ever be simple?

-0-

This was it, Nakamori thought to himself as he surveyed his men. It was time for a new approach to catching KID. Instead of running blindly after the thief, they were going to wait for the thief to come to them. No, it wasn't the same as standing around the jewel and waiting for the thief to come and steal it. The inspector would admit that it sounded similar, but it wasn't. Why? It was simple.

When they were all focused on waiting for the thief to make his appearance and steal the jewel, it often turned out that the jewel had already been stolen long before the thief's actual appearance. That or the thief would have already slipped in unnoticed to rig everything so that he could take the jewel with ease and humiliate his task force while he was at it. Why did this happen? Nakamori reasoned that it happened because jewels were objects. Expensive objects at that. They tended to be placed in display cases or safes or some other secure container, couldn't think for themselves, couldn't speak to tell you something was wrong, and couldn't run from someone trying to steal them. The problem with the aforementioned safe places was that they were predictable. They either couldn't be moved, were hard to move, or needed to be carried around by human hands. When the objects in question were known to be the targets of internationally wanted criminals, their owners and the people around them started to try to be cautious and find even more 'secure' places to hide them or show them or whatever. But KID was a magician. He was a master of deception, and therefore—loathe as Nakamori was to admit it—always ten steps ahead in this game of hide and seek.

But back to the new plan.

Tonight, Nakamori had declared, they wouldn't be watching the jewel. They would only be pretending to watch the jewel. The real focus of the night was going to be one Kudo Shinichi.

They knew that Kaitou KID always made a point these days to approach the detective at least once. There was always a rose involved too, whatever else the thief had planned. This meant they had some idea of signs to look out for. But the police needed to be subtle. They couldn't make it too obvious to KID that their tactics were changing.

"Sensui, you are going to shadow Kudo-kun. Stick to him like glue and examine everyone who comes near him. If any of them are the least bit suspicious, I want you to arrest them on the spot! Understood?"

Sensui saluted. "Yes, Sir."

"Right. Now you lot," he gestured at the next group of officers. "Split up into groups and take up positions around the building. Keep an eye on Kudo and Sensui, but don't be too overt about it. If you see Sensui give the signal then charge. Don't hesitate!"

"Yes, sir!" they chorused.

"Sensui, make sure you keep Kudo within the sights of at least one of their groups. Got it? Good. The rest of you, I want you to watch the jewel and check all the guests. Remember, this may be a heist, but it's also a birthday celebration. There are going to be some very wealthy and influential individuals attending. They are NOT to be given any exceptions, but you will be polite." He glared around the gathering. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Right then. Let's go catch that damned thief!"

-0-

Shinichi was starting to feel a bit creeped out. All the police were watching him. Okay, so they were making an effort to pretend that they weren't, but he'd always been particularly sensitive to being watched.

It was hard to concentrate on looking for KID when the back of his neck kept prickling.

"Would you like something to eat?" Sensui asked.

Shinichi eyed the officer uncertainly. Sensui had been following him around ever since he'd arrived at the mansion. "That's alright. I'm not hungry. But you can go get something from the buffet table if you want."

"Ah, well, I wasn't really that hungry either," the man answered. Almost immediately afterward, his stomach rumbled. He laughed awkwardly, scratching at the back of his neck. "Er, or I guess maybe I should get something. Why don't you come with me and get something to drink?"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow at the suggestion. This was getting ridiculous. "I still have water."

Sensui fidgeted, brows knitting. "Uh, well…"

"Is there something wrong?" Shinichi prompted. He might have felt sorry for the man if he wasn't annoyed with being left out of the loop. "KID's not supposed to arrive for a few more minutes. I'm sure you can get at least a snack before then."

"Ah, yes, you're right." The officer's shoulders sagged in defeat. "I'll be right back then."

With that he ran off, clearly eager to get the whole thing over with.

Across the ballroom, Shinichi could see Hakuba checking his pocket watch. He started to count down silently in his own mind.

10…9…8…

Blue eys turned to focus on the row of display cases that had been set up next to the dance floor. Each showcased a beautifully designed piece of jewelry. They were all gifts being presented to the birthday girl. In reality though, the gifts were meant to impress the girl's father. After all, there was only so much a five-year-old could appreciate fine jewelry.

3…2…1…

Light flared throughout the room.

-0-

Hakuba cursed. He'd been expecting the room to go dark. Now he had ultraviolet spots dancing before his eyes and couldn't see a damned thing. He could, however, hear Nakamori's bellowed swearing and the general mayhem that was KID making an appearance.

By the time he could see again, the scene that greeted him made him wonder for a moment if there was still something wrong with his eyes. Or maybe KID had gassed them all with some kind of hallucinogen. Wrapping paper boats were sailing serenely over the heads of the delighted crowd accompanied by flapping, bowtie birds. Ribbons danced and wove amongst them like living things. The excited squeals and giggles of the five-year-old birthday girl rang above the chaos. It seemed she liked the show quite a lot more than she'd liked the jewels.

The jewel!

He looked quickly towards the display cases, searching for the pink diamond that was the target for the night's heist.

It was gone.

Next he scanned the crowd for Kudo's distinctive cowlick.

That was gone too.

He cursed.

-0-

Ducking a giant, flying bowtie, Shinichi found himself in one of the lavishly decorated halls outside the ballroom. He could've sworn he'd seen KID's cape disappearing around the corner this way, but now there was no sign of him, and Shinichi had two choices.

"That way!" Sensui cried out, running up behind him. "The main stairs are blocked but the west wing has balconies!"

The two of them headed down the hall at a sprint. Every time they turned a corner, Shinichi thought he saw a flutter of white, but they just couldn't seem to catch up. Then they were crashing into what turned out to be a private gallery that opened out onto the mansion's western balconies.

They came to a stop. There was no sign of anyone anywhere.

Sensui grimaced. "Looks like we lost him."

Shinichi frowned and crossed his arms over his chest as he turned to face the policeman. "You can drop the act. What did you do to the real Sensui?"

The older man blinked in faux confusion before his face broke out into that familiar, shark-like grin. "He's catching up on his beauty sleep upstairs. So when did you realize it was me?"

"Since you suggested searching here. All the other officers have stationed themselves around the house perimeter, the ballroom, or the halls and chambers near it, and they've been watching me all night. I'm pretty sure Nakamori told them to keep an eye on me, so the real Sensui wouldn't have suggested going somewhere the rest of them couldn't see."

The thief's smirk widened as he leaned in towards the detective. "And yet you came anyway. Did you want to be alone with me, Tantei-kun?"

Shinichi blushed and hurried to back away from the man who was suddenly too close for comfort. "No! Don't be ridiculous."

"There's no need to be shy about it," KID admonished, taking a step forward.

Shinichi took a step back. "That's not it at all! I—I wanted to ask you about the Yukimitsu thing."

"You were gorgeous in that dress. It didn't make you look fat at all."

"That's not what I wanted to ask!" Shinichi's blush darkened.

In response, the thief put on an innocent expression that Shinichi didn't buy for a second. "It's not?"

"No." Taking a moment to collect his jittery nerves, Shinichi inhaled deeply then let the breath out slowly. "I wanted to know… Ran seems to think—I mean, why did you…"

"You might want to hurry up a little there, Tantei-kun. Nakamori-keibu and Hakuba are going to be here soon." As if to illustrate his point, the sound of pounding footsteps could be heard growing rapidly louder.

The detective let out a frustrated puff of air. "It's just—I just wanted to know… Why did you set it up so the news people would get that photo of us? A joke is one thing, but Ran says now everyone thinks we're actually d—that you were being serious."

Crossing the distance between them in one stride, KID leaned down to murmur directly into Shinichi's ear before the detective could move away again. "What makes you think I'm not serious?"

Shinichi felt his breath leave him. "What?" But the thief had already gone, leaving behind nothing but a single rose and the fading echo of a laugh.


	3. Woes of a Detective

"What did he mean?"

Ran gave Shinichi an almost pitying look across the café table. It was the same corner table they had been at not so long ago. Shinichi practically lived here these days when he wasn't on a crime scene or in class. "It means he really does like you, duh. Honestly Shinichi, this is why you need to go out and meet more normal people. Not everything is about crime. Even criminals have normal lives—well, most of the time anyway. I guess there're probably some extra nutty ones out there that don't, but still."

"Ran, there is nothing and never will be anything normal about KID."

"Okay, maybe normal's not the right word, but it doesn't change the fact that not everything's about crime. Why do you find it so hard to believe that KID might actually like you anyway?"

"I'm a detective," he said bluntly, wondering why this obvious fact seemed to be eluding his friend. "He's a thief."

"You were the one who just said KID would never be normal."

That was true. But even KID's insanity had to have limits.

"Do you like him?"

Shinichi froze with his coffee mug halfway to his lips. "What?"

"Do you like him?" Ran repeated patiently. "I'm pretty sure he likes you, whether or not you want to believe me. So the real question is whether or not you like him back."

"Why would you even ask me that?" He knew he was stalling, but he couldn't help it. He felt like a deer in headlights staring fixedly at the car about to run him over.

"I was just wondering. I mean, you go to all of his heists when you can, and you obviously spend a lot of time thinking about him. You keep all the roses he gives you, and you don't seem to be as upset by the fact that he's broken into your house several times already as I think you would be if it was anyone else. You also blush whenever someone mentions him. So?"

"I…" Shinichi stopped and swallowed, throat dry. "I just… It's not…"

"It's okay if you do, you know," the brunette said gently. "I won't think of you any differently." If anything, Ran was inclined to think that this might be a good thing. Okay, KID was a criminal, but compared to most of the people Shinichi dealt with on a daily basis, he was definitely one of the better ones. Shinichi needed something more than just cases in his life, even if he disagreed. And she was fairly sure that KID would take good care of her best friend. "I think you should give him a chance."

"You…you do?" Shinichi could barely believe his own ears. Ran was encouraging him to go out with a wanted criminal—one whose real identity neither of them knew at that. Even if it was KID, there was something fundamentally creepy about that.

Yet her casual acceptance of the possibility was also a relief.

"It'll be good for you," she agreed, smiling. "Promise me you'll at least think about it."

Shinichi nodded mutely. Like he'd be able to do anything else.

He spent the rest of the day stewing over the question.

Despite his efforts to make it go away, he'd known for a while now that he had feelings for the gentleman thief. He just didn't think he should. It had been easier to ignore when he'd firmly believed that KID was only teasing him. But if Ran was right—and she sounded so sure—then that argument was no longer valid. It still didn't change the fact that KID was a thief. But, well, he was an honorable kind of thief, or as much as such a thing was possible anyway. He often helped the police catch more heinous criminals when they crossed paths, and he returned most of his loot. He was insanely brilliant and fun to be around. He was undeniably charming too, though he could be something of a pervert at times.

And he had been there through some of the worst times in Shinichi's life. The thief might not know it, but Shinichi had come to rely on him to be there. KID's heists and magic reminded him that the world could be a bright and amazing place and gave him a space in which he could forget about the death and despair he saw on a regular basis.

So he knew he maybe sort of really did like KID. He'd known that already even if he was only admitting it to himself now. That didn't solve any of his problems. If anything it made them worse.

He only ever saw KID at heists. He didn't really know who the thief was. Hakuba was always insisting he knew the thief's civilian identity even if he had no proof, but looking for KID outside of a heist like that felt wrong to Shinichi. That said, he couldn't exactly have a nice sit down with the thief to discuss the possibility of a future together. What would he say? "Excuse me, but Ran thinks all these pranks you've been pulling on me have been your way of asking me out, and I was wondering if that was true because I wouldn't mind going out with you when you're not out stealing things"?

…Yeah, not happening.

Why couldn't Ran have stayed and explained how she thought he was supposed to give the thief a chance?

-0-

Sharp, indigo eyes observed the detective from across the café. It took some effort to keep said detective from noticing that he was being watched, but the owner of the eyes had gotten the skill down to an art form. It was a necessary skill, after all, for indulging in his favorite hobby: Shinichi-Stalking.

Hey, everyone had to have hobbies.

"What are your real intentions with Kudo-san?"

"What're you talking about now, Hakuba? I don't know anyone called Kudo."

"Oh please, if you're going to pretend, there should still be a limit. I'm talking about Kudo Shinichi. You can't possibly not know who he is."

"Oh, you mean that Kudo. I thought you were talking about someone I knew personally. So what about him?"

"I was just curious. I mean, even you can't be crazy enough to think dating a detective would be a good idea in your circumstances."

"If this is another attempt to get me to say I'm KID, it might be one of your worst. I don't even know what you're talking about. Why would I want to date Kudo? I've never even met him."

The conversation had continued in the same manner for another hour or so before the blond finally gave up. Honestly, how Aoko could stand going out with him was one thing he would never understand.

Kuroba Kaito, sometimes known as Kaitou KID, wasn't entirely sure when his interest in the detective had grown from simple curiosity into real affection. These things were gradual after all. It was the detective's intelligence that had caught his attention at first. It was rare for him to find someone who could actually keep up with his ways of thinking—even rarer to find one who could also appreciate his artwork even while he tried to unravel their workings. It was a challenge not only for the thief to come up with even more complex magic tricks but also to coax that oh-so-rare look of unadulterated amazement from the little detective—and KID liked challenges. Add to that the sheer weirdness of the idea of a teenager getting ten years younger and it was no wonder that the thief was interested.

The more time he spent observing the detective, the greater his interest had grown. He admired Shinichi's heartfelt dedication to protecting all life—even the lives of criminals who most people would probably agree didn't deserve it. It wasn't every day you met someone who really cared that much and was willing to put his life on the line for that belief. Seeing him gave KID a sense of hope in his own struggles to bring his father's murderers to justice and reminded him that, no matter how dark things got, he should never allow himself to become like those men he hunted. Because Shinichi would be disappointed.

It amused him too how the detective could be so serious sometimes yet so childish when it came to things like soccer or his beloved books. The boy's clumsiness when it came to certain social matters and situations was also rather endearing.

As the years wore on, the list of things he found interesting about the detective grew longer. And the thief had noticed that it had started to include the beautiful shade of the detective's blue eyes.

He'd decided to pursue a relationship with the detective a little over a year ago.

He hadn't made the decision lightly. He was Kaitou KID, after all. He couldn't afford to be careless. He'd weighed all the pros and cons, the risks and the possibilities, and he'd decided that it was worth it.

The problem was that while the detective's cluelessness about romance was cute, it was beginning to get frustrating. He supposed he could at least thank the Mouri girl for clearing some of the confusion up for his dear Tantei-kun, but seriously, it had taken a whole year to just get the message across. At least the year had given him ample opportunities to gage the detective's reactions to his advances and determine that—whether or not Shinichi was aware of it himself—the detective returned at least some of his affections.

Things would have been so much easier if he and Shinichi had ever met in their civilian lives. Naturally he'd thought about introducing himself, but he knew that the chances of Shinichi figuring out that he was KID were quite high. He couldn't risk such an encounter before he had secured a more solid position in Shinichi's life. While he didn't believe the detective would turn him in, he also didn't want to complicate things unnecessarily by adding Shinichi's sense of obligation to the mix.

That and he knew Hakuba was just lying in wait for him to approach the detective and give himself away. Indigo eyes narrowed dangerously.

If Hakuba did anything to jeopardize Kaito's plans, he was going to find himself shaved bald!

In the meantime, Kaito had the feeling he could use the police and Hakuba's new 'ideas' to his advantage. It was, after all, part of the plan he'd been unfolding since the Yukimitsu incident.

-0-

The moment his eyes landed on Nakamori-keibu, Hakuba, Sensui, and the handful of other KID Task Force officers waiting on his doorstep, Shinichi knew it was going to be a bad day. He considered shutting the door in their faces, but they had already crowded inside. He found himself offering them coffee on instinct while he silently wished they would all disappear.

The sense of foreboding only grew as they explained their purpose for visiting him so early on a Saturday morning. When they were done, Shinichi could only think of one thing to say.

"You want me to do what?"

-0-

This must be how people in the ancient, uncivilized days felt when they were about to be sacrificed, he thought glumly. His own reflection looked back at him from the changing room mirror, looking just as excited as Shinichi felt, which was to say not at all. Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice but to be here.

It was for the greater good, they'd said. Ha! Greater good his foot. This was just them running out of ideas.

It was entirely Nakamori and Hakuba's fault that he was now wearing clothes that he would never have put on if he didn't have the metaphorical gun to his head. No, they weren't threatening him exactly. It was just that he either had to put them on or have them put on for him. Bastards. They were getting worse than KID. At least KID didn't claim to have good intentions when he popped people into random costumes.

The idea, they'd explained, was for him to actually participate in the jewelry show that had been determined to be the location of KID's next heist. It was a show being held to showcase the work of a new jewelry designer who had been getting a lot of recognition. Among this jeweler's works was a brooch that happened to house a star ruby of great quality. The jewel in question had passed through many hands and adorned multiple pieces throughout the ages, but this time its latest owner had requested that it be worked into a "brooch fit for royalty". Now it was to be presented to the world as one of a series of supposed masterpieces meant to boost their creator's career to the next level. This show, however, was going to be an active one, the jeweler had declared. It was not going to be a bunch of metal and rock lying around on velvet cushions. No, the pieces were meant to be worn, so worn they would be. Each piece would be shown on a suitable person. It was like a fashion show where the main point was the jewelry, or so Shinichi had decided. And lo and behold, Shinichi had somehow become the designated show person for KID's target brooch.

To match the overly fancy piece of jewelry, the clothes too were…unique. There were shiny bits and frilly bits and smooth, silky bits. Raised stitching formed complex patterns that made Shinichi go cross-eyed when he stared at them for too long.

The pants were the worst part. They fit him far too well. He supposed there were people out there who considered this sort of thing fashionable or whatever, but it did nothing for his sense of modesty. On top of that, the tight fit meant he'd been forced to wear something that looked to him like a handful of strings but which he'd been told was a type of undergarment. In his opinion, calling it clothing of any kind was being too generous. Okay, so that meant the pants weren't the worst part. It was the bits under them—or rather lack thereof—that were the worst part.

Altogether, he felt both ridiculously gaudy and terribly underdressed despite being fully covered.

The most degrading aspect of the situation, however, was that he had essentially been reduced to being a walking display case. All the dressing up and stuff was meant only to show off the jeweler's brooch design. And after he was done being a display, he was supposed to play bait by walking himself and the jewel into the ambush the police were setting up at the appointed time. He was still trying to decide if he was going to actually do so though. It wasn't like they'd bothered actually asking him to. They'd just said to do it and assumed he'd cooperate. Jerks.

A sharp knock came at the changing room door.

"Kudo-kun, are you ready? The show's about to start. They want all the models backstage right now."

"I'm coming." Heaving one last resigned sigh, Shinichi exited the changing room and shot Inspector Nakamori a glare. The man had the decency to look uncomfortable. "So where am I supposed to go then?"

"It's this way."

All too soon, he was walking out into the spotlights before a massive crowd, half of whom were probably there to see KID rather than the show, but no one was talking about that yet. He could feel eyes on him—not that that was surprising. He was, after all, walking onto a stage. That knowledge didn't make him feel any better. The staring was getting on his nerves. Someone in the front row had taken out a phone and was showing something on it to her friend before pointing at Shinichi. He suspected it was that photo again.

And now he had to stand and listen as the jeweler described the brooch in excruciating detail, explaining the inspiration for and meaning of every stone and curl of metal.

The minutes crawled by like lethargic snails.

Shinichi tuned out at about the ten minute mark and spent the rest of the show in a mindless haze of boredom wishing he could sit down. His prospects weren't looking good on that front either though. The show was going to be followed by a party where visitors could get a look at the various pieces up close. There would of course be food, drinks, and dancing. And a heist.

Nope, he wouldn't be getting any rest anytime soon.

-0-

"You look stressed."

Scowling at the sound of Hakuba's voice, Shinichi turned to give the other detective the most irritated glare he could manage. "And whose fault would that be?"

The blond seemed unfazed by the sarcasm dripping liberally from Shinichi's words. "I do apologize for the lack of warning, but you know how KID is. Every additional person in the plan is another potential leak."

"That would be a much more convincing argument if I wasn't stuck in the middle of it."

"True, but we all know KID keeps a close eye on you. Therefore the delay was necessary."

Deciding he didn't feel like talking to Hakuba anymore, Shinichi turned away with a terse statement about getting something to drink. To his chagrin, the blond stopped a passing waiter with a tray of fancy fruit concoctions. Taking two, he offered one to Shinichi. Not wanting to make a scene, Shinichi accepted the proffered beverage with a strained smile for the waiter and a short "Thanks".

"Is it your turn to follow me around then?" he asked the blond once the waiter had gone.

Hakuba blinked then gave a rueful smile. "So you noticed."

"Hard not to."

"It's the only way to keep an eye on the heist target."

"Because obviously I don't count."

"Two heads are better than one."

"Whatever."

A stiff silence fell between them as Shinichi buried his nose in his drink. Hakuba finally seemed to take the hint and turned his attention to surveying the party for suspicious characters. Every few minutes a handful of visitors would come up to Shinichi to ogle at the brooch or ask him about KID. He answered their questions in as few words as he could.

"No, I don't know who he is."

"No, I don't know if he's here yet."

"Yes, he's after this jewel."

"No, you can't touch it."

"I don't know what trick he's planning to show tonight."

"How would I know if KID is a good kisser?!" He glared at the last person to ask him a question but she only looked confused.

"But I heard you two were, you know." She turned pink. Behind Shinichi, Hakuba coughed, and the blue-eyed detective wondered if the blond was laughing at him.

"We are not—whatever you heard," Shinichi said to the girl in slow, measured tones that emphasized every syllable. Regardless of what the future might hold, he was not going to bow to these rumors!

"Oh." She didn't look like she believed him. "I guess if you say so."

He could see that last group whispering to each other as they left, casting the occasional glance back in his direction. He downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and glowered down at the cherry sitting at the bottom of the glass. What was up with people these days anyway? They were always nosing around other people's private lives. Could they not think of better ways to entertain themselves that didn't involve infringing on people's privacy?

He blinked. The one cherry had just turned into two cherries. No, wait, now it was one cherry again.

What the…

His thoughts felt fuzzy and disconnected. The glass slipped from his numb fingers but he never heard it hit the floor. Someone had caught it, he thought distantly. He could sense a presence beside him. Hakuba? It was warm and solid and standing very close.

"Don't worry," a familiar voice that most certainly was not Hakuba murmured into his ear. The words echoed and swirled through his head. "I'll take good care of you."

Shinichi's last thought before he blacked out completely was that now he was more worried than ever.


	4. To Those Who Persevere

Looking down at the detective's sleeping face, Kaito wondered if maybe this wasn't such a good idea. The detective looked far too tempting lying there on the hotel bed all oblivious and vulnerable.

He'd set himself up for one hell of a test of his self control.

Shinichi looked so peaceful when he slept. The worry lines that often marred his face when he was awake were smoothed away. His lips parted slightly as he breathed slow and even. Kaito's gaze lingered on those lips. They looked almost like they were waiting to be kissed. It would be so easy to just lean down and—

He shook himself and hurriedly backed away from the bed.

He'd brought Shinichi here so they could spend some time together away from prying eyes and without the pressure of encroaching discovery. Anything more than that… Well, only if Shinichi was willing.

Retreating to the window, Kaito fixed his gaze on the sparkling cityscape outside. Hopefully Shinichi would wake up soon. If he didn't, Kaito was going to have to leave or do something he knew he'd regret later.

-0-

Shinichi swam slowly back to consciousness. He was lying down, he mused. The surface beneath him was soft like a bed, but it wasn't his bed. That was strange. Wasn't there a KID heist today?

KID!

He shot bolt upright. It had been Hakuba—or rather it had been KID disguised as Hakuba. He must have put something in Shinichi's drink.

And now here he was, sitting in what looked like a high end hotel room, still dressed in that stupid outfit from the show complete with shiny, ruby brooch. Why hadn't the jewel been taken yet?

The room was dark but the curtains were open. The full moon outside cast its silver glow to flood the chamber with a soft light. And there, sitting on the window's deep sill, was a tall, lean figure clad in a familiar white suit and top hat. The thick, white fabric of his cape fell in heavy folds over the edge of the sill.

Shinichi opened his mouth to call the thief but KID beat him to it. "Good evening, Sleeping Beauty. Did you enjoy your nap?"

Shinichi fought back the instinctive blush and crossed his arms. "Where is this? And how long have I been asleep?"

"We're at a hotel about three miles from the building where the show was hosted. And you've only been out for two hours, give or take. I thought about waking you sooner, but you looked like you could use the sleep."

Shinichi unwound a little as the thief showed no signs of doing anything other than talk. Scooting to the edge of the bed so he could let his feet dangle over the side, he studied the visible part of the thief's face. It was relaxed and open. The thought helped set Shinichi's jangling nerves at ease as well.

"So…why did you bring me here? What do you want?"

"Want?" the thief tilted his head to the side as though thinking hard. Then he grinned. "Hmm, well, what I want most right now is to ravish you."

Shinichi flushed and threw a pillow at him. "I'm being serious!"

KID caught the pillow. "So am I~." He winked. "Though I must say, I never thought my task force would be so kind as to deliver you to me on a silver platter, so to speak. And so nicely wrapped too. Naturally, I couldn't let all that effort go to waste, so I brought you here."

"And no one noticed?" Shinichi knew he often marveled at the KID Task Force's ineptitude, but that seemed too extreme even for them. How could they possibly miss someone carrying an unconscious body out of the building? And not just any unconscious body but an unconscious body wearing the target of the night's heist pinned to his chest?

KID only laughed. "Remember who you're talking to, Tantei-kun. Of course no one saw a thing. Besides, most of them were too busy watching my show. Shame you had to miss it by the way, but I guess we can't have everything."

"So how long do you plan on keeping me here?"

"I haven't decided yet," came the offhanded reply. "I suggest you make yourself comfortable. No one's going to be coming to rescue you."

"Maybe I don't want to be rescued," Shinichi retorted, more for something to say than anything else. Then he snapped his mouth shut when he realized what he'd just said and turned beet red. He hadn't meant to let that slip.

"Oh? Is that so," the thief murmured, indigo eyes gleaming as his grin widened. His voice lowered into a purr that sent shivers up Shinichi's spine. "I'm glad to hear it."

He hopped off the sill in a swish of white cape and strolled to where Shinichi sat. The detective tensed, eyeing him warily, trying to decide whether he should stay or make a run for it. In the end, he remained still. Part of it was curiosity as to what the thief would do, but more than that he found that he didn't want to run anymore. He wanted answers, not just from KID but from himself.

By now the thief had seated himself beside Shinichi on the edge of the bed.

"Tell me, Tantei-kun, do you like me?"

They were so close that their noses were almost touching. Shinichi could feel his own breaths growing shallow, though if it was nerves or anticipation he didn't know. "What happens if I say yes?" he asked, his own voice so soft he could barely hear it himself. Blue eyes searched the thief's face.

"What would you like to happen?"

"I…don't really know," Shinichi admitted. "But I'm sure you had a plan. What would you do if I said yes?"

"That depends. Did you want the short term answer or the long term one?"

"Both."

"Well, first I would kiss you." A gloved hand ghosted up Shinichi's arm to rest lightly against his cheek, cupping the side of his face. "A proper kiss this time. As for my long term plans… I'm afraid you'll have to wait and see."

"That doesn't seem very fair."

"Oh? How so?"

Shinichi started to speak then stopped, not sure how to put into words the myriad of things he both wanted and didn't want to say. He found himself searching the deep shadows that painted the thief's face. This close, he should have had no trouble seeing KID's face, but in the darkness with the magician's top hat and monocle in place, all he could discern was the vague presence of features and the gleam of a single, indigo eye.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips and he turned away from the thief to look out the window, simultaneously pulling away from the thief's hand. Suddenly it all felt so quiet, so distant—like the world had fallen away and he was nothing but a feather spinning on the wind.

"You're not really real."

The thief blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"You can disappear any time you want to. The rest of us can't do that. Whatever we do, whatever we choose… We're stuck with them for the rest of our lives."

The thief didn't answer immediately, pondering the words. It would have been easy for him to brush them away. After all, he was just as real as the next person. He had to live with his choices the same as anyone else—and did. He was just better at not regretting them than most. But at the same time he supposed he could kind of see what Shinichi meant.

As Kaitou KID, he had the freedom to do whatever he wanted without repercussions to his life as Kuroba Kaito, the rising new star in the world of stage magicians. While the man behind the names was the same, the rest of the world couldn't see that (because he would never let them). The fact that the KID persona had already passed through two hands, his father's and his own, was proof enough of that.

He traced the detective's profile with his gaze, observing the hint of melancholy in those blue eyes he'd come to love. The thief had always been good at reading faces. And in Shinichi's face he could see wistfulness and a certain degree of resignation. But there was some hope there too, buried underneath it all.

It would be far too easy, he knew, to snuff out that hope altogether. It would depend on what the thief did now. And for the first time in a long, long time, Kaito found himself feeling uncertain.

If he made the wrong move here, he suspected he would never see Shinichi again. He couldn't let that happen. But they were standing at a crossroads here. There would be no going back to the way things had been.

"Shinichi."

The detective started. KID almost never called him by name. It was enough to make him tear his eyes from the window and look around. He got his second shock when he realized that KID had his top hat in his hands. As in not on his head.

He opened his mouth to say something but stopped as a finger was pressed to his lips. He couldn't help but notice that the finger wasn't covered in a white glove like it should have been. In fact, those were KID's gloves over there disappearing into his hat. Then both hat and gloves vanished in a small puff of smoke. Next the thief took Shinichi's hand in his and brought it up to press lightly against his monocle. Shinichi tried to pull away, but the thief had an iron grip.

"KID," he protested, moving to stand. But the thief's other hand gripped his shoulder, keeping him where he was.

"You were right. I can't expect you to trust me if I don't do the same. That is what you meant, isn't it? You think I'd just run off and leave you to pick up the pieces by yourself if things don't work out."

"I—I never said that—"

"It's quite alright. I am a little offended, but I can see where you're coming from. Consider this a promise from me. I will always be here for you. Hell, I'll be here even if you don't want me to be. You're not getting rid of me anytime soon! And since that's going to be the case, I really shouldn't be hiding my face, should I?"

"But—"

"Don't you want to know who I am?"

Shinichi swallowed, mouth dry. He did want to know. But…

The detective hesitated, nervous tension making all his muscles and joints feel like they were locked in place. A corner of his mind wondered why he was the one shaking when it was KID who had the secret identity that was about to become quite a lot less secret. But at an encouraging nod from the thief, he carefully removed the eyepiece. It was smooth and hard in his hands. He turned it over, watching the way the moonlight danced across the glass. Then he looked up and into KID's face, seeing it completely unshielded by object or shadow for the very first time.

Like a person in a dream, he set the monocle aside and reached out to run his fingertips lightly over the thief's face. He traced the man's cheekbones and the lines of his jaw, watching as the thief's lips quirked into an amused smile. There was no sign of a mask or other disguise at all. Warmth swelled in his chest, and he knew he was smiling too.

"KID…" he breathed, still half in awe that this was real.

"Kaito." Calloused hands caught his and the thief turned to press a kiss to his palms. "Kuroba Kaito. But you can just call me Kaito."

"Kaito," Shinichi repeated, testing the name. He almost laughed. "Is that really your name?"

KID—no, Kaito—grinned back. "Tou-san had a sense of humor."

Now Shinichi did laugh. "I'm sure he did."

They fell silent for a moment: Shinichi still digesting what had happened and Kaito relishing that small but genuine smile on his detective's face. A smile just for him. He gave the detective's hands a gentle squeeze and leaned forward.

Shinichi, who had completely forgotten that the thief still had a hold of his hands, blushed. Once again, they were so close he could feel the thief's breath against his face, but this time he could see the man's face. Somehow it made everything feel that much more real.

"So then," Kaito murmured. "Will you answer me now?"

Shinichi took a moment to gather himself. He didn't know what would happen after today, but he knew now that he wanted to try. He wanted Kaito in his life, not just as a thief he sometimes competed with but as a friend—no, as more than that.

"I—yes, I do."

"You remember what I said about my short term plans." The thief inched just a little closer.

The color in Shinichi's face darkened but he didn't move away. "I remember. But you might want to hurry up before I change my mi—"

He never got to finish as the thief closed the tiny distance left between their lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes the beginning. The next chapter will be posted as the next story in the series.


End file.
